Naru, My Friend
by Usa
Summary: This is a fic I co-wrote with Emiri a long time ago and just recently found it. Takes place after the death of Nephrite. Naru learns that Usagi is Sailor Moon. WARNING this is a VERY dark fic! Please R&R!! :)
1. 1

Title: Naru, My Friend  
Rating: R (dark ficcie)  
Authors: Usa (michelle@sailormoon.zzn.com) and Emiri (bunny_s_@hotmail.com)  
Author's Notes: This ficcie is dark... it deals with a very dark issue as well. It takes place during the first season, just after Nephrite dies. Enjoy, and please, post a review! ^_^  
  
***********  
  
"Usagi, Naru's on the phone," Usagi's mother called upstairs.  
  
"Okay!" Usagi replied, picking up the extension. "Moshi moshi."  
  
"Moshi moshi, Usagi-chan," Naru sighed. "Want to come over?"  
  
Usagi's heart skipped a beat. It had been three days since she had seen or spoken to Naru... after the whole incident with Nephrite. "Hai, I'll be over in ten minutes, Naru-chan!"  
  
"Okei...bai, Usagi."  
  
Usagi hung up the phone and told her mom where she was heading. She didn't wait for a reply and ran out the door.  
  
***********  
  
Naru's mom led Usagi up to the girl's bedroom. Neither of them spoke but both were deathly afraid of how Naru had been acting lately.  
  
Naru opened the door and motioned for Usagi to sit next to her on the floor. Usagi followed suit."Naru-chan...?"  
  
"Usagi, why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"Nani? Tell you what?" Usagi was confused.   
  
"That you're Sailor Moon."  
  
The young girl laughed. "Naru-chan, you're funny! A klutz like me... Sailor Moon!?" Inside she thought, *How could she possibly know?*  
  
"Nephrite told me...said you'd always be the one protecting me..."  
  
Usagi didn't know what to say... Luna had told them to never tell anyone who they really were. However, Nephrite told Naru, she didn't...   
  
"It's true, Naru-chan. Gomen for not telling you, but I wasn't able to! I didn' want someone to use you just to get to me!" Usagi took Naru's hand. "Forgive me?"  
  
Naru pulled her hand away. "Why couldn't you save him, Usagi?"  
  
"I tried to," Usagi whispered.  
  
Naru turned away. "But you didn't."  
  
Usagi attempted to get Naru to face her. "Please believe me that if I could give my life to save his for your sake, then I'd do it in a minute! I know it doesn't make up for all of this..."  
  
Naru turned back to her with tears in her eyes. "You tried to destroy him."  
  
"Only because he was the enemy, Naru-chan. When he jumped in front of you, I realized how much he loved you even if he was on the wrong side. Love is something that cannot die. I am so sorry for taking him away from you, but I don't know what I can do..." Usagi had tears forming in her eyes as well by now. She could feel her best friend slowly slipping away from her.  
  
"Maybe you'd better go, Usagi," Naru said quietly. "I'm tired now."  
  
Usagi stood up. "Are you sure? Maybe we should talk a little more."  
  
"I...don't know if I have anything else to say to you..."  
  
"..." Usagi was at a loss for words. Instead, she reached down to hug Naru.  
  
Naru jerked away. "Onegai..."  
  
"O-okay... I'll go now," Usagi said saddened. "I'll see you tomorrow at school?"  
  
Naru shook her head.  
  
Usagi nodded and turned to leave the room. "Ja ne..."  
  
"Ja ne, Usagi." Naru's voice was flat.  
  
  
*********  
  
Naru shut the door behind Usagi and locked it. She flopped onto her bed, and began sopping..."Nephrite..."  
  
"I love you..." Sobs wracked her body as she lay there. Through blurry eyes, she noticed her craft scissors lying across the room. Mechanically, she got up, grabbing them. Sitting back on the bed, she began to slash at her wrists. She was rewarded with a trickle of blood.  
  
She slashed again, biting her lip to keep from screaming in pain. She just wanted it all to go away. "Nephrite, let me be with you," she sobbed. 


	2. 2

*********  
Naru, My Friend  
Part 2  
By: Usa and Emiri  
Disclaimers in Part 1  
*********  
  
Usagi sat on a bench in the park, staring out into space. She didn't think her relationship with Naru would ever be the same again. When they were younger, Usagi, for some reason, told Naru that she would protect all the days of her life. Little did she realize that it would be a true statement. Usagi felt horrible that Naru had gone through so much pain and had no idea how to help her friend through it. "Naru-chan... gomen ne..."  
  
"Usagi-baka, what are you doing here?" Rei yelled to her from across the park. "You forgot our meeting again, didn't you!"  
  
Usagi sighed. Not only was she in a depressing mood, but she had to deal with Rei... She really didn't need this right now. When Rei came up to the bench, with Makoto and Ami, Usagi looked up. She wondered what her friends would think of her appearance. "Gomen... but I didn't forget, something important came up."  
  
"Usagi-chan, what's wrong?" Ami asked. Rei started to say something, but Ami elbowed her to be quiet.  
  
"Daijobu?" Makoto said, sitting next to her friend.  
  
"I-I got a phone call from Naru-chan."  
  
Everyone's eyes widened. "How is she, Usagi?" Ami asked.  
  
Usagi shook her head. "Not good... She..." Usagi cleared her throat. "She knows I'm Sailor Moon."  
  
"Nani yo?" Makoto nearly yelled. "How does she know?"  
  
"I-I didn't tell her. Nephrite did. He found out somehow. Naru-chan hates me..."  
  
"Why, Usagi?" Rei spoke in a gentler tone than before, knowing her friend was upset.  
  
"She thinks I should have protected him... saved him somehow. But what was I supposed to do? If I do my job as a Senshi then I'd hurt my friend but if I didn't, Nephrite could have hurt the whole world. I-I..." Usagi couldn't take anymore and began crying uncontrollably.  
  
Makoto wrapped her arms around her. "Usagi-chan..." She didn't know what to say.  
  
"He was the enemy, Usagi-chan. There was nothing we could do about that." Ami spoke rationally. "What did she say when she called you?"  
  
"Not... much..."  
  
"Well, at least she's alive," Rei said.  
  
Usagi pulled away from Makoto and glared at Rei. Standing up, she walked over to the miko. "Why did you say that like it was no big deal? Do you know how much it scares me that Naru-chan might be thinking about joining Nephrite! She's like a sister to me! Don't take her situation lightly just because it's not you or someone you're close to!"   
  
Before anyone could say a word, Usagi was gone.  
  
********  
  
Naru looked down at her wrist. The cut was pretty deep, but she wasn't going to die from it. She tried to slash more at it, but the skin was too tender. Her eyes were already blurry from tears, but they welled up with more. She gave up and wiped the blood off the scissors, and snuck into the bathroom to bandage her wrists. She'd be wearing long sleeves tomorrow. She could just say that she was cold. She went back to her room, and dug out her pearl earrings, the ones Usagi had always liked. She decided to give them to her tomorrow at school.   
  
Naru looked around her room. So much useles crap. None of it could bring Nephrite back. She threw her stuffed animals off her bed, and viciously slammed down pictures of her and her friends. She savagely tore down her posters of various boy idols....none of them were real. None of them loved her. She saw her favourite dress hanging in the closet. Secretly, it was the one she had hoped to wear when she got married. Tearing it off the hangar, she hacked it into bits with her scissors. Glancing up, she saw her reflection in the mirror. She was ugly, especially with a tearstained face. Her reflection seemed to jest at her.   
  
'Maybe if you'd been stronger, you could've saved Nephrite yourself. Or you wouldn'tve got kidnapped. And if you'd been smarter, you would've figured out long ago that Usagi was Sailor Moon...'   
  
"ENOUGH!" Naru screamed, slamming her fist through the mirror. It shattered, and cut her hand in several spots.  
  
********  
  
Naru woke up to the sun on her face. Her mother had left her alone for the past week, and probably thought that she was going to spend today in bed as well. Naru slipped into her school uniform, choosing the long sleeve shirt even though it would be warm. She put cover-up on the scratches on her hand from the mirror, and they barely showed unless you looked hard. She went downstairs. "Ohayou."  
  
"Naru?" Her mother was shocked. "Are you feeling well enough to go to school?"   
  
Naru nodded. "Hai. I'm feeling much better today." She smiled for emphasis. "I"ll see you tonight."  
  
"Alright," her mother agreed. "Actually, I'm going to do groceries after I close the store tonight...so I'll not be home until around 9."  
  
"That's fine," Naru chirped. She kissed her mother on the cheek. "Bye, mama."  
  
Naru slipped on her shoes and headed out the door. She would have to run if she were to be on time.  
  
*************  
  
Usagi didn't even realize she had been on time. She wouldn't have either, if Ami hadn't pointed it out. She felt like she was on autopilot since she had talked to Naru the night before.   
  
With a sigh, Usagi looked up, as if willing Naru to walk through the classroom door. Amazingly enough, she did... "Naru-chan," Usagi whispered.   
  
"Ami-chan, look who came to school today," Makoto whispered nudging the girl who was studying.  
  
Ami looked up. "Naru-san."  
  
Naru took her seat next to Usagi. "Gomen about yesterday, Usagi-chan," she said brightly. "Ohayou, minna."  
  
Haruna-sensei was surprised to see Naru back. "Welcome back, Naru-san."  
  
Ami noticed Naru's long sleeves. Most everyone was wearing short sleeves. She didn't say anything, though, for fear of upsetting Naru in some way. She knew there was something not right, but she couldn't put her finger on it.  
  
Usagi was confused. What in the world was going on? Naru was the complete opposite of the night before.  
  
In her head, Naru was processing what her mother had said. She wouldn't be home til late. That gave her plenty of time...  
  
"Ohayou, Naru-chan!" Usagi replied, finally breaking out of her thoughts. She attempted to smile, but being so confused, it failed.  
  
"Aren't you happy to see me, Usagi-chan?" Naru asked.  
  
"Of... of course I'm happy to see you, Naru-chan," Usagi said. "I-I'm just..."  
  
"Surprised to see me?" Naru nodded and smiled. "I suppose I would be too..."  
  
Ami nudged Makoto while they were talking and whispered "Don't you think it weird that she is wearing long sleeves at this time of year?"  
  
Makoto looked back at Naru. "Now that you mention it... yeah. What's going on?"  
  
"I'm not sure...but something isn't right..."  
  
Before Makoto could reply, Ms. Haruna announced the start of class.  
  
*****************  
  
Usagi was changing her shoes when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. "Usagi-chan?"  
  
"Naru-chan?" Usagi said, turning around. "What's up?"  
  
"I have something for you..." Naru held out a box.  
  
Usagi's eyes widened. "Naru-chan." She was still confused. Why was Naru being so nice to her after last night?   
  
"Take it, Usagi-chan. I want you to have it"  
  
Usagi opened the box and gasped. "But why Naru-chan? These are your favorite pearl earrings."  
  
"I want you to have them, Usagi-chan. I know you've always liked them...I'm sorry about last night. I just...really miss Nephrite." Naru's eyes started to tear up a bit.  
  
"If it means that much to you then I'll accept them." Usagi reached over to give Naru a hug. "I'll always be there for you."  
  
Naru hugged her back. "Arigatou, Usagi-chan."  
  
"Think of me when you wear them," she said. Usagi nodded, a bit confused as to why Naru had said that.   
  
Naru looked at the clock. "I gotta go now. Bai, Usagi-chan."  
  
"Bai, Naru-chan!" 


	3. 3

************  
Naru, My Friend  
Part 3  
By: Usa and Emiri  
Disclaimers in Part 1  
************  
  
Ami and Makoto walked over to Usagi as Naru walked away. "What did she have to say?" Ami asked.  
  
"She wanted to give me these... I didn't want to accept them, they're her favorites, but she was so insistant." Usagi sighed. "I am so confused, Ami-chan, Mako-chan. She was so upset with me last night. Now it seems as though she still likes me..."  
  
"Maybe she realized you did what you could," Makoto suggested, "and the earrings are a way of showing her she understands you."  
  
"I'm not sure about that one, Mako-chan," Ami said. "Ne, don't you think it was weird that she was wearing long sleeves today, Usagi-chan?"  
  
Usagi blinked. "I hadn't even noticed. I was so shocked that she was even in school that I didn't even see what type of shirt she had on, Ami-chan."  
  
"How much did she like those earrings, Usagi-chan?"  
  
"They were most treasured possession because her papa gave them to her on her 10th birthday. They were his mom's. He died a few days later..."  
  
Ami's mouth opened, and she covered it with her hand. "Do you know where Naru was going after school?"  
  
"Home, I guess," Usagi replied.  
  
"What are you thinking, Ami-chan?" Makoto asked.  
  
"Well...I took a course on depression and suicide prevention...two of the most common signs of a person being suicidal are giving away treasured posessions, and masochism."  
  
Usagi's heart skipped a beat. *Sucide...*   
  
"Wh-what's masochism, Ami-chan?" she asked nervously.  
  
"When somebody hurts themselves purposely...I don't think Naru would wear long sleeves when it's this warm unless she had something to hide."  
  
"Masaka!" Usagi gasped, running out the door.  
  
"Usagi-chan!" Makoto followed her out.   
  
"Matte!" Ami ran after them, almost forgetting her school sachel.  
  
*********  
  
Naru locked the apartment door behind her. Nobody could disturb her now. It was almost time...she'd soon be joining Nephrite on the other side. She was glad that she had made peace with Usagi today. She had always been her best friend, even if she had let the man she loved die.   
  
Naru found some paper, and hurridly wrote a goodbye letter for whomever to find. Then, she went to the bathroom, and swallowed several handfuls of various pills. Soon she was dizzy, and she felt her legs giving out from under her. She stumbled back to her bedroom, and collapsed on the bed. Her vision faded away, then all was black.  
  
***  
  
Usagi ran up to Naru's apartment and knocked on the door. There was no reply for five minutes. She found the key under the welcome mat and unlocked the door. "Naru-chan!" she called.  
  
She searched the kitchen and the bathroom and finally she came to Naru's bedroom. The door was slightly ajar. Usagi knocked and slowly entered. "Naru-chan? You here?"  
  
Ami and Makoto had caught up with her by this point, and followed behind.  
  
"Naru--" Usagi stopped in her tracks. Naru was lying face down on the floor. She rushed over to her friend. "Naru! Naru, wake up!"  
  
The young girl wasn't responding. Usagi looked up at Ami and Makoto. "Ami-chan, she won't answer me!"   
  
Ami bent down to find a pulse, fearing the worst. She picked up her wrist, and felt nothing. Frantically, she felt her neck. Nothing again. "Kami-sama..."  
  
"Ami-chan?" Usagi whispered, her eyes full of hope.  
  
Ami looked up at her. " Gomen,Usagi-chan..."  
  
"Iie! You're wrong!" Usagi cried. "Naru-chan! Wake up! Ne, come on! We gotta go shopping, Naru-chan!" Usagi was sobbing now. "Onegai..."  
  
Makoto put her hand on Usagi's shoulder, not knowing what else to do.  
  
"This can't be happening! She's not supposed to die! We're supposed to be in each other's weddings! Why! Naru-chan!!"  
  
Usagi took a deep breath and with an anguished cry, she screamed. "IIIIIIIIIIYYYYYYYAAAAAAA!"  
  
After calming down,some what, Usagi spotted a piece of paper in her friend's hand. She picked it up. Opening it, Usagi recognized Naru's handwriting immediately.  
  
'Please forgive me for doing this, but it had to be done. The one person I was living for is gone and I can't be here knowing that he isn't. Usagi, I now know how hard you tried to save him. I didn't mean to hurt you last night and I don't mean to do it now... but I just had to be with him. Mama, I love you so much. I will always think of you...  
Love,  
Naru'  
  
Usagi's hands shook as she read the letter. She stood up but immediately fell to her knees. She had the worst feeling in the pit of her stomach. She would never again go shopping with Naru, never talked to her about how annoying Umino was, never talk about nothing for hours... Naru was gone, and so was a part of Usagi. 


	4. 4

**********  
Naru, My Friend  
Part 4  
By: Usa and Emiri  
Disclaimers in Part 1  
**********  
  
  
"Usagi-chan?" Ami asked, shaken.  
  
Usagi didn't answer. She just continued to stare at Naru's body. Her heart pounded in her chest.   
  
"We should call the police, I think." Makoto spoke slowly.  
  
Usagi couldn't catch her breath. She felt cold and sick to her stomach. Here she was not five feet from her best friend, who was dead.  
  
"Ami-chan..." Usagi said, barely above a whisper.  
  
"Hai, Usagi?" Ami suddenly hugged her friend tight.  
  
"I-I... I lost my best friend..." Usagi began sobbing into Ami's arms. Ami's eyes welled up, and so did Makoto's as she hugged them both  
  
***********  
  
Usagi stood at Naru's grave. "The service was beautiful, Naru-chan. You would have... would have loved it. Your mama is beside herself. The note you wrote for us is very little comfort. Why did you have to do this? Why? There are so many people who care about you! Naru-chan..."  
  
Naru's mother stepped silently up beside Usagi. "Osaka-san," Usagi said, looking at her.  
  
"Hai, Usagi-san?" She hugged the young girl, both of them crying.  
  
"I miss her so much!"  
  
She could say nothing, and just hugged Usagi tighter. "It's my fault she did this!"  
  
Naru's mother looked at her. "Nani? How?"  
  
Usagi didn't know how to explain it without giving too much away concerning her identity as Sailor Moon. "It just is!"   
  
"Do you know why she did this, Usagi?"  
  
"H-hai..." she responded, looking at the ground.  
  
Naru's mother dropped to the ground. "My darling daughter..."  
  
"Gomen ne," Usagi cried, dropping next to her. "You can hate me all you want, I deserve it!"  
  
"Usagi, I don't hate you...you're the closest thing I have to a daughter now...can you tell me why?"  
  
"Because... the man she loved was killed and she misses him so much that she wanted to be with him."  
  
Naru's mother covered her mouth with her hand. "There's so much...so much I never knew about my own daughter."  
  
"I should have realized this sooner! The fact that she gave me those pearl earrings..." Usagi sobbed harder at this. "I should have realized!"  
  
"It's not your fault, Usagi," Naru's mother sobbed, hugging her more.  
  
Usagi still felt responsible. No matter what anyone told her, she was going to keep blaming herself for Naru's death.  
  
"Usagi-chan, will you still come visit me?" Naru's mother asked, finally getting up.  
  
Usagi followed suit. "Of course, Osaka-san."  
  
She nodded. "Good."  
  
Naru's mother placed a teddybear that had been in her coat on the grave. "Arigatou, Usagi-chan."  
  
"Arigatou," Usagi replied with a small smile  
  
Naru's mother turned to leave, saying a silent prayer for her daughter.  
  
Usagi stood at the grave alone again. Tears were still falling and she didn't think they'd ever stop. *Why does this have to be so hard!?*  
  
Ami, Rei, and Makoto appeared next to her, carrying roses. Rei wordlessly hugged her friend. She was crying too.  
  
"Rei-chan..." Usagi looked up to see all her friends. "Minna!"  
  
"Gomen ne, Usagi," Rei said.  
  
"You know this wasn't your fault," Ami's voice broke.  
  
"She's right, Usagi-chan, no one blames you," Makoto added.  
  
"I do..." came the quiet reply.  
  
"Why, Usagi-chan?"  
  
Usagi sighed. "I should have realized sooner that something wasn't right. The way she came into school, acting like everything was all right. You're supposed to notice things that AREN'T right with your best friend!"  
  
"Usagi-chan, we've all been through so much in the past few days..."  
  
"Does that excuse my weakness as a friend?" Usagi asked. "Please, for your own safety, stay away from me."  
  
"Usagi-chan, when it comes to being a friend, you're the best one to have!" Makoto said, grabbing Usagi by the shoulders. "Look me in the eyes, tell me you see disappointment in them!"   
  
Usagi didn't say anything. "Do you?"  
  
"Iie... It still hurts, though. I'm never going to be able to shopping with her again. She's never going to tease me about Mamoru..."  
  
"Usagi, you're going to miss her for the rest of your life, you'd be crazy if you didn't. But we're all here for you, and we love you...and Naru still loves you, wherever she is..." Rei was feeling as horrible as Usagi was.  
  
She looked up at Rei. "Do you really think so?"  
  
Rei nodded. "I can feel it."  
  
"Arigatou, Rei-chan, Ami-chan, Mako-chan. You three are wonderful friends. I don't know how I'd get through this without you. "  
  
Makoto hugged Usagi. "You're a wonderful friend too, Usagi-chan!"  
  
Ami and Rei nodded. "Hai. You are."  
  
"We'd be all alone without you," Ami said.  
  
Usagi smiled her first real smile in the past two days. "Minna, could you give me a few minutes alone with Naru-chan? I'll meet you outside the cemetary."  
  
"Of course, Usagi-chan," Makoto replied. Ami and Rei nodded again, and the three turned and walked to the gate.  
  
Usagi turned to Naru's grave and sighed. "This is it, Naru-chan. I'm going to live my life because I know that's how you would have wanted it. I now know it wasn't my fault, that I couldn't have stopped you. Please remember that I love you and always will.   
  
"Since you gave me something that you treasured once, I'd like to give you something of mine that I treasure." Usagi pulled out a small, gold locket. Inside, contained a picture of her and Naru. "This is the locket that Papa gave me for my 13th birthday. Remember, he took us to the mall and we got our picture taken in one of those booths. Well, I put one of those pictures of us in it. I want you to know that you've always been close to my heart and you always will be. I know I'll see you again some day. Arigatou, Naru-chan, my best friend." Usagi kissed the locket and put it on the bear. She stood up and walked towards the gate to meet her friends, never looking back. 


End file.
